Motometer lock



W. D. BLUDWORTH.

MOTOMETER LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1921.

1 #404,263. Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

4 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY I T 0 all whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

WILLIAM D. BLUD'WQRTH, 0F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

MOTOMETEB LOCK. 1

Be 1t, known that 1, WILLIAM D. Brion- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, county of Sacramento, State of. California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motometer Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

T-hlS invention relates to improvements in automobile accessories or equipment, and

particularly to a device to preventthe theft of the moto-meter with which a good many cars are now equipped.

These moto-meters, as is well known, are a form of thermometer provided to advise drivers as to the heat conditions obtaining in their car-motors, and are mounted on the radiator caps of the cars so that they may be visible at alltimes.

Apparently these devices-have a considerable second-hand value apart from the actual materials therein, for their theft from cars is a matter of daily occurrence, causing great inconvenience to the owner of the car, since the radiator cap is usually taken at the same time. Besides the inconvenience mentioned, there is of course the financial loss to' the owner, which is by no means inconsiderable.

Owing to the fact that the caps can ordinarily be unscrewed and renroved by anyone passing, and takes but a few seconds, a

sneak-thief can easily accomplish his pur-' pose without the use of tools of any description.

' QThe' principal object of my invention therefore is to provide a cover which fits over the-radiatoflcap and also engages a certain portion of the moto-meter, so that neither the cap nor the meter can be readily removed.

At the same time it may be easily detached v by the owner when necessary to unscrew the radiator cap. Of course this device, as practically any other, is susceptible of being mutilated and removed by anyone having tools to accomplish this end, but as previously stated, the theft of the accessories mentioned is almost entirely done by passing sneak-thieves, who would not stop to tamper with the car if to quick action.

A further object of the invention is to pro-- Specification of Letters Patent.

lower and they saw any kind of abar Patented Jan. 2 4, 1922.

Application filed January 6, 1921. Serial No. 435,331.

duce a simple. and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of I reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the device as applied to a radiator cap and moto-meter.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective elevation of the device, detached and unlocked Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the

place, while on the outside of the cap the stem has an' enlarged shouldered portion 7-which rests: and bears on top of the cap.

My device consists of a member cover 8 formed in two equal halves having top portions 9 and 9* provided with semicircular orifices 10 and 10 which together are adapted to surround the stem 4 ofthe motometer above the shoulder 7, and being smaller than said I shouldered portion. Vertical sides 11 and lltfidepend downwardly from the cover members and are preferably spaced somewhat from the periphery of the portion 2 of the radiator'cap,

so as to allow for inside portioning of connecting, hinges 12 at one pair of adjacent ends of the sides, and co-operating lock members 13 adjacent the other ends. At the lower edges of the sides-flanges 14 project inwardlyyunder the shoulder. 7 and extend to the periphery of the threaded portion of the cap 2 to maintain the device in concentric'alinement. 1

When the device is to be installed, the halves arevof course spread or opened out so as to pass-over and envelop the cap and moto-meter stem, and when in position the lock is engaged.

It will therefore be seen that no part of the radiator cap is then visible, so that it cannot be touched to unscrew and remove the same, any rotation of the cover or looking device merely affecting that member alone.

If it is attempted to remove the motometer without disturbing the cap, it will be found that the nut 5 will remain stationary at first, permitting the mote-meter stem to be retracted a turn or two, after which the nut will turn wit-h the stem, any great outward and upward movement of the stem being frustrated by the shoulder coming in contact with the inside of the cover members 9 and 9*,which are in themselves prevented from upward movement'by the lower flanges 14.

To insure that the moto-meter and cap will not turn as a -unit,'the nut 12 is preferably first adjusted so that the above described movements will positively take place.

. This is not a detriment to the operation of the moto-meter, since I have found from experience that the nut may be loosened sufficiently to permit it to act as above andyet maintain steam or water tight connection with the cap. a

It will of course be understood-that different sizes and shapes of the lock device other than that shown will have to be provided to suit different stylesv of radiator caps, but the principle of operation in all cases remains the same.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to and do not form a departurefrom the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having, thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.- The combination with a radiator cap and a moto-meter installed in connection therewith, the latter having a shouldered portion above the cap and a smaller stem thereabove, of a cover member for said cap, said member being formed of sections adapted to be locked together onto the cap 2. The combination with a radiator cap and a moto-meter installed in connection therewith, the latter having a shouldered portion above the cap and a smaller stem thereabove, of a cover member for said cap, said member being formed of a pair of sections hinged together in a vertical plane and adapted to surround the outer portion of the cap and to be then looked together against vertical and transverse movement on the cap, each section having an incision in the upper-contacting edge adapted to form a continuous orifice when the sections areclosed and to then encircle the stem above the shoulder and smaller than the latter.

3. The combination with a radiator cap and .a moto-meter installed in connection therewith, the latter having a shouldered portion above the capand a smaller stem thereabove of a cover member for said cap,

said member being formed of a pair of sections, each section comprising substantially horizontal plates abutting alon a central line, sides on the plates extending downwardly to the bottom of the upper portion of the cap and horizontal flanges projecting inwardly from the sides under said upper cap portion, hinges connecting adjacent ends of the sides, andco-operating locking means at the opposite ends, the upper plates being provided with incisions which together form a continuous orifice when the sections are abutted and adapted to then closely encircle the stem above the shoulder.-

4. As a new article of manufacture a combined radiator cap and moto-meter lock con- .sisting of. a. two-part cylindrical shell adapted to envelop the cap and provided with an orifice on its upper side adapted to closely encircle the stem of the moto-meter above the shoulder thereon,'and an inturned flange on its lower end adapted to pass under the lower edge of the radiator cap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

I WILLIAM D. BLUDWORTH. 

